Saint-Etienne Secures Promotion to Ligue 1 After Playoff Victory Over Metz
Saint-Etienne, the ten-time former French champions, have secured their return to Ligue 1 following a tense relegation/promotion playoff win against Metz. This victory resulted in Metz being relegated to the second division on Sunday.
The second leg of the playoff concluded in a 2-2 draw after extra time, allowing Saint-Etienne to progress to Ligue 1 with a 4-3 aggregate victory, having won the first leg 2-1 on Thursday.
Ibrahima Wadji’s decisive goal in the 117th minute was crucial for Saint-Etienne. The team played with a numerical advantage for much of the match after Metz’s Papa Diallo received an early red card.
Saint-Etienne, who were relegated two years ago, finished third in Ligue 2 this season. Metz, on the other hand, ended their Ligue 1 campaign third from the bottom, resulting in their record seventh relegation from the top flight since 2000.